What would you like to hear a deacon preach about?

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Deacon2006

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I am now entering a phase of formation that focuses on homiletics and if you have seen my posts in the past, you will probably have noted that I am faithful in my views and I think my homilies will come reflect this disposition.

The problem is I hear several people say that they are looking forward to my preaching so they can hear something different :confused: Most of the times this sort of thing sort is an insincere compliment for me and more likely an insult to the pastor. However, it has me thinking about parishioner expectations

Is there something different that people actually expect a deacon to preach about that I have missed? I have young children a wife and a profession but do people want to hear about that? I have heard several deacons talk about their life experiences and I find that boring and cheapens the need for preparation it always sounds like water cooler wisdom.

If there are topics that you have always enjoyed hearing from a deacon or if there is some ideas that that you think would be great topics for a deacon then I would be very interested in hearing about them.

Thank you
God Bless
 
The truth, the whole truthing and nothing but the truth!

Do not be afraid to confront the “difficult” issues – birth control, abortion, Mary, gay marriage.

Just make sure you are linking teachings with the readings for the day and whatever feast we are celebrating.

Our pastor is excellent at this, and never strays from the truth, no matter how many “looks” he gets from some in the congregation.

We need to know and hear the truth from the Word of God and the teachings of His Church.
 
I thought it would be good to hear more @ doctrine or dogma. I personally hardly ever hear the tough issues.

otherwise give Didi a blessing:blessyou:
I’ll be praying for you ,good luck & GOD bless
 
I always enjoyed learning something from the homily. A better understanding of scripture, or something relating to current events, etc.

Our Deacon always uses a comic strip to start his homily, and ties it into the readings and the gospel.
 
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Deacon2006:
I am now entering a phase of formation that focuses on homiletics and if you have seen my posts in the past, you will probably have noted that I am faithful in my views and I think my homilies will come reflect this disposition.

If there are topics that you have always enjoyed hearing from a deacon or if there is some ideas that that you think would be great topics for a deacon then I would be very interested in hearing about them.

Thank you
God Bless
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I don’t care whether the deacon or priest is preaching but I would like to hear something relevant to the liturgical readings and the feast or season. I would like to hear it spoken audibly and distinctly and not in a monotone. If you will regularly be preaching in a second language, please get some tutoring in proper pronunciation of that language. Choose one main point, set the stage, state the point, elaborate on the main point, give examples and reasons, some of which can be based on your own experience, but all of which should have basis in truth and doctrine, summarize, then stop talking. Preach the truth without fear, without reservation, without qualification. Preach the Gospel, not your own opinion.
 
Balance.

God’s love and mercy are great topics, but these have been the focus for too long. Balance would be God’s justice.

A topic begging to be discussed is moral relativism - the notion that one could claim to bend a compass needle in any direction and call it North.

Trust in the Holy Spirit is another great topic. I have a firm belief that one cannot claim to have trust in the Holy Spirit, yet be disobedient to the laws, teachings, and doctrines of the Catholic Church. Trust in the Holy Spirit must accompany Trust in the Papacy and the Magisterium. One without the other, isn’t just a clanging cymbal, it is a gong!

Since Jesus was simple, I follow a simple set of rules with regards to Church teaching when I encounter something I don’t understand or can’t seem to agree with. Firstly, I keep in mind that I’ve only been on this earth 42 years and the Church has been around for over 2000. Who am I to say that I am all wise and knowing? When we get into these positions of conflict here is the best thing to do:


  1. *]Know the law, teaching or doctrine.
    *]Obey the law, teaching or doctrine (trust)
    *]Understand the law, teaching or doctrine.

    It is a very simple prescription for a very simple matter. The Lord appreciates those who obey because they know. He appreciates even more the great sacrifice of those who obey out of trust in His Holy Spirit. This often involves denying ourselves something significant in favor of God’s will.

    This simple message is something you just won’t hear from a pulpit and one that we need the most.

    Truth means heading North and not bending the compass needle to any direction that suits our desires.

    Anyone who speaks Truth without concern for people who may get up and walk out, without care if the collection goes down, and without regard for tax exempt status will find the complete opposite will happen. People may leave, but more will come. Money may go down at first, but it will later come flooding in. Just as the baskets of fish and bread seemed unending, God will reward those who speak Truth without regard for anything else but Truth itself.

    Best wishes and God Bless!
 
Of course, there is no need to speak with a bat or a stick as my signature implies. It is the lessons of love that will win the hearts. Telling people what they may not want to hear, but so mindful of their dignity.
 
I think most people expect deacons to be kind of timid as preachers. So go for the heart. Meditate on the martyrdom of St. Stephen; think of St. Francis of Assisi (they tHINK he might have been a deacon); recall the martyrdom of St. Lawrence. These are times that call for deacons to be zealous for the faith and for the truth.

I mean, do we need JESUS, do we need the CROSS if all we are going to preach is: be nice to each other?
 
I was also going to say moral relativism, and the role of obedience (who said you have a vote?).

I would also say a homily on “Good works”, how they are evidence of the Holy Spirit, and the need to pray, give alms, and read the Word. I think there are too many Sunday-only Catholics that need a little help growing their faith (like I once did :o)

I never hear either of these topics discussed in homily…
 
Perhaps you can post a “practice” homliy here, explaining what the point of the diaconate is, for those of us who don’t understand the need for deacons.
 
Great ideas so far. Obviously people are hungry for authentic truth from the ambo. I agree with you that often the anecdotes about your own life can seem like water cooler wisdom, but that’s mostly because they are watered down or filler material. Maybe how you integrated the real tough truths into your own life.

For instance how you and your wife came to grips with the Church teaching on contraception, particularly if it was a struggle for you.

Or if you are in business, how you balanced your need for a bottom line healthy enough to stay in business with paying a just wage to your employees, or staying closed on Sundays, or rotating schedules so everyone could attend church.

So there are some ways of relating authentic Church teaching to everyday life that you may have experience with that priests just don’t that you could offer to the congregation.

Another point is to really learn the techniques of good homiletics as well as public speaking. A great message can be really obscured by poor presentation. Poor structure or delivery can sink the best intentions.

I think a deacon speaking passionately about TRUTH can be an incredible boon for his pastor. Then people can see that the priest is not a lone figure advocating all this stuff that real people can’t even begin to live in their own lives. That we are ALL called to holiness, and that marriage is a big part of that call. Marriage should be a tool to holiness, not an obstacle (which is what one of the jokes told at this weekend’s homily implied, arghh).

Good luck and God bless,
 
…i prefer my homilies from the priest… and i prefer the deacons to preach approved homilies (signed off by the pastor) prior to their homily… IMHO

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Some great suggestions. Space ghost will be happy that I usually run my homiletic ideas by my pastor. His attitude is-you don’t knock my style and I won’t knock your style. As a deacon listening to a homily, when it is not my week to preach, I agree with those who mentioned that the message should be tied to the readings of that particular Sunday and one main theme should be preached. My pastor and I try to relate the readings to what is going on in this world today: abortion,euthanasia,same-sex marriage,living together before marriage, and the devil is even mentioned. On the other hand, our community also hears of the tremendous love that God has for each of his children and how he welcomes us like the father of the “Prodigal Son” when we turn from sin and come back to him.

God bless,
tony
 
Hi Deacon,

People expect something different probably because you are younger than the priest they know, and they think you might refresh the preaching.There is no special “deacon” preaching.

As far as the subject of your preaching is concerned, the homily is supposed to be about the scripture of the day.

As Pope John XXIII said about the Second Vatican Council, it is not a question of saying something new or different but saying it in a way that it will be understood by, and appeal to, people in this century.

Verbum
 
Thanks for the compliment, but I am much older than my pastor. I have found it a challenge but not impossible to link the moral issues of our day to the scripture of the day. Our class was trained to spend one hour in study for each minute of a homily. The pastor does not have time to do this, but when you only preach at all the Masses once a month, you can do this. We try to make the homily relevent to peoples lives. For over 50 years, I sat in the pews and many times seen people leave the church with no idea what was preached. A good homily is something that folks can bring home with them that offers hope for them in living the upcoming week. I may never be able to deliver homilies like this but each month I try.

May God bless you,
tony
 
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Deacon2006:
.

The problem is I hear several people say that they are looking forward to my preaching so they can hear something different :confused: Most of the times this sort of thing sort is an insincere compliment for me and more likely an insult to the pastor.
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I don’t know if its that because my husband hears the same things from people. The people just mean that he brings a different perspective to things being a married man, working a full time job, and raising a family. It’s not that priests cannot speak to these isssues, they most certainly can, but it is a little different coming from someone who is in the same trenches that you are. BTW don’t be afraid to preach about the tough issues, for every snide remark you may hear there will be 20 more saying thank you for presenting the truth.
 
I love to hear the married ones use their own experiences with marriage and children in relation to the gospel message they are proclaiming. It is a wonderful perspective!
 
Speak about an experience and the emotion it stirs up. Then connect it to the readings and how it paralells our relationship to God. Tackle the tough issues and end it with a story or prayer that inspires people to turn their hearts back to our Lord.

That should be simple enough…Good luck!
 
Deacon Tony560:
Some great suggestions. Space ghost will be happy that I usually run my homiletic ideas by my pastor. His attitude is-you don’t knock my style and I won’t knock your style. As a deacon listening to a homily, when it is not my week to preach, I agree with those who mentioned that the message should be tied to the readings of that particular Sunday and one main theme should be preached. My pastor and I try to relate the readings to what is going on in this world today: abortion,euthanasia,same-sex marriage,living together before marriage, and the devil is even mentioned. On the other hand, our community also hears of the tremendous love that God has for each of his children and how he welcomes us like the father of the “Prodigal Son” when we turn from sin and come back to him.

God bless,
tony
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…don’t pay any attention to me… i am behind you all the way.👍 …as far back behind you as i can get…but behind you none-the-less:thumbsup:

Peace Rev:thumbsup:

http://ashycook.topcities.com/images3/ili-river-kazakhstan/distant-camels.JPG

…see, i’m there for you:D
 
You probably have had experience sending children to college. Most parishoners are not aware of the fact that the liberal colleges (my guess is that it’s 98% of them) are taking our beautiful God-loving children and brainwashing them for four years to give up their faith. Even the so-called Catholic colleges fall into that 98%. Okay, that subject doesn’t sound like it would fit in with the liturgy of the day. Let’s see…there was recently…last Thursday May 19…a reading according to Mark 9:41-50 that stated “whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea…” That is one of my favorite quotes and we need to hear it more often. The college presidents today should have a millstone tied around their necks and thrown into the sea. They have led many of our beautiful children astray! I would preach about “Scandal”. It is not only the professors who are scandalizing our youth but the “Catholic” politicians who preach baby-killing and then receive communion.
 
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